“It’s not Opposition questions, it’s prime minister’s questions.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was left red faced during PMQs today, after appearing to forget how Prime Minister’s Questions works.
In the last PMQs before the summer recess, Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer clashed over a number of issues this afternoon, ranging from spending plans to the future of the NHS.
A visibly frustrated Sunak, who was also criticised by Starmer over the failed Tory pledge to build 40 new hospitals by 2030, which the National Audit Office found this week is a target that will not be met, decided that rather than answering questions himself would begin to ask the Labour leader to explain his policies.
Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle decided to intervene and told Sunak: “It’s not Opposition questions, it’s prime minister’s questions.”
Starmer then chimed in: “With his time away he has slightly forgotten how this works.”
That was a reference to Sunak missing a number of PMQs. Indeed, since becoming PM last October, he has missed six of the 29 PMQs sessions which have taken place, or 21 per cent of sessions.
Hoyle also criticised Sunak for leaving the Commons chamber early. He said: “The prime minister likes to get away early.
“The more that you stop me getting on with the questions the more. I am going to keep him here.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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